Prof A N Sadhu
The Governor’s rule has been imposed in the State of Jammu & Kashmir. This appears to be the only rational decision that could have been taken in the present circumstances. During the period of electioneering, I had written three articles on the elections in J&K which were published in the columns of this esteemed daily. Apart from discussing various aspects of J&K elections 2014, in these articles, it had also been analysed, in some detail, that post -election scenario will make it a formidable job to form the coalition Government , in the state. It did not require any sharp examination as to what will be the position after the announcement of election results; it, however, did set in motion several conjectures on possible combinations of, otherwise sharply divided political stand-ups to hammer out a workable arrangement of forming the democratic Government needed the most by the people of the state. That no party will get an absolute majority was a foregone conclusion. Politicians have their own compulsions of making tall claims and electorate also enjoys keeping them hoping against hope. Democracy has definitely deepened its roots in the country and electorate has become aware of its electoral strength to keep the political process on the right course.
The electoral results announced on the 23rd of the previous month have gone along the expected lines to a very large extent but have thrown up some surprises, maybe shocks as well. The political fortune tellers had predicted complete washout of NC and Congress, where they have been proved totally wrong. NC getting 15 seats can, by no means, be treated as insignificant keeping in view a few unpleasant things that had happened in the recent past. It is a fact that NC leadership had not maintained the right connect with the electorate because of a number of reasons, not all under their control. NC had also not expected the elections so soon nor had they been able to check their coalition partner from making all round allegations against them. Open revolt in the coalition did dent the prospects of both the parties at the hustings. Nevertheless getting twenty seven seats together is not an insignificant score in such a fractured mandate. If one measures the extent of success of PDP and BJP against the NC Congress combine (UPA), the three arrangements are evenly placed. That any of the three arrangements has a superior claim to form the Government is misplaced. Hence the governor’s rule as the most rational decision.
It may not be desirable to talk of political plausibility in sharing the power at this stage, but this question will keep on haunting the political parties as also the political analysts for quite some time till the dust settles down on the ground. Political pundits will have to do some hard work in analysing the present political scenario and its future fallout. Quite a few things stand manifested as pointers to emerging situations of regional, national and international ramifications. A political situation precipitating the imposition of Governor’s rule will have to be handled expeditiously on considerations of lasting stability rather than on some immediate political dividends. People, by and large, will be happy on the present dispensation ending the uncertainty and administrative lethargy in the state but the bigger question “should Governor’s rule remain there for a longer time” will have to be addressed and a conscientious decision taken on the future discourse. The permutations and combinations available are the same as talked about during the last fortnight. Will some new thinking emerge to make any of these combinations agreeable?, Time alone will tell. As of now, it seems very unlikely.
Time puts everyone to test including the leaders. In the evolution of political history, there arise occasions when statesmanship is on premium and it is demanded of politicians to act more as visionaries than ordinary politicians who tend to become the captives of political expediency. The State of Jammu and Kashmir does need a matured handling on criteria, more objective than subjective. It demands courage and a futuristic view along with the regard to present sensitivities as well. People do go with rational thinking even when they may not make a collective manifestation. The contemporary realities cannot be ignored. The winds of change can also not be stalled. The shells will have to be broken and wider spaces searched to weave new threads with greater elasticity. It will need sharper tools with deft hands to break the existing cobwebs and operate in a bigger and more transparent socio-political domain to steer the state through its present political impasse. The terms like grand alliance may sound well in literature but not in politics. There can be an alliance in political arrangement on a common minimum program and it is an alliance only- nothing grand or not grand about it. In a state like J&K which is often referred to as mini-India, divergences have to be blended to forge a justifiable and lasting unity of words and deeds to orient the state towards achieving higher levels of growth. The present fractured mandate should not be viewed only as a response to party popularity but also as a conscientious expression of individual assessment based on accumulated wrath and future expectations, both. The imposition of Governor’s rule is a timely step and a durable political arrangement shall have to be evolved on mutual trust and grant of reasonable space to political partners in the larger interest of the country. The new awakening, particularly among the youth needs to be taken note of and new political equations made accordingly. Among the electorate where index of sensitivity is high, the political debates have to be transparent and welfare oriented. Substances, more than the sound,will matter.
The country has witnessed a sweeping change at the national level and expectations are soaring high for a more rewarding future, in particular on socio-economic front. The new dispensation will have to remain alive to development and good governance along with political consolidation. From the educated and the awakened electorate, the responses, in future, will be evoked on deliverance of good governance at the grass root level.
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